THE CONGRESS: More Stars for Old Glory?

When Alaska's perennial request for
statehood came up for Senate debate early last month, it seemed once
more doomed to denial. Though the Truman administration had endorsed
the bill, only 43 Senators, six less than a majority, were on record in
its favor. Then, as the argument unwound, a trend in favor of the bill
became evident.

Northern Democrats won over a lot of Republicans with a quid pro quo: a
49th star for Alaska (a Democratic stronghold) would be followed by a
50th star for Hawaii (considered Republican). The next step was...